Both New York NFL franchises decided to improve their defenses during the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, with the New York Jets selecting Texas Tech’s edge rusher and outside linebacker David Bailey second overall and the New York Giants going for Ohio State’s linebacker Arvell Reese fifth overall.
Both defensive college standouts will be the rock upon which these NFL franchises will likely build the foreseeable futures of their defensive units. The selections allowed both teams to have highly successful draft classes that addressed both teams’ issues in defense.
Now, let’s look at the contracts they both signed with their respective teams. Here’s a breakdown of David Bailey and Arvell Reese’s rookie contracts.
David Bailey Contract vs. Arvell Reese Contract
David Bailey’s Contract
David Bailey is getting a four-year standard contract that’s valued at approximately $54.6 million, $36.224 million of which was a signing bonus. The contract is fully guaranteed through the four years, and includes an option for a fifth year. His base salary is rather low when compared to the totality of the contract, with him set to be paid $885,000 in the 2026 season. The average annual value of the contract is $13,669,000, and his first-year payout is $37,109,000.
All in all, it’s a regular rookie NFL contract.
Arvell Reese’s Contract
Reese, on the other hand, is set to be paid some $45.6 million to $47.8 million by the New York Giants. His signing bonus is $31,246,000, and he will have a base salary of $885,000. The contract also gets a standard four-year period, with a fifth-year option. The average annual value is between $11.4 million and $12.1 million. In his rookie year, the payout is set at around $30,485,000.
It’s another regular NFL rookie contract for a first-rounder.
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